Oklahoma House Bill HB4044

Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/7/22
• Refer: 2/8/22

Caption

Students; requiring school districts to provide remediation for students who score below certain benchmarks on the ACT or SAT exam; effective date; emergency.

Impact

The implementation of HB4044 is expected to significantly enhance educational outcomes by giving students the opportunity to improve their scores through structured interventions. By mandating remediation for students who do not meet the benchmark scores, the bill seeks to help close the achievement gap and ensure that all students are equipped with the necessary skills for their future endeavors. Additionally, the bill empowers the State Board of Education to establish specific rules for how these remediation requirements will be enforced and administered across various school districts.

Summary

House Bill 4044 mandates that school districts in Oklahoma provide remediation courses for high school students who score below specified benchmarks on the ACT or SAT exams. This requirement aims to improve students' academic readiness for college or career paths by ensuring they receive necessary instructional support in subjects where their performance has been lacking. The bill outlines various types of remediation methods that can be offered, including extended instructional time, summer academies, tutoring, online coursework, and course repetition for academic deficiencies.

Contention

While the bill aims to elevate educational standards, there may be concerns regarding the adequacy of resources and trained personnel available to implement such remediation programs effectively. Because the bill does not require teachers providing these remediation courses to be certified in the subjects being taught, this could lead to discussions about the quality of education that students receive under this program. Furthermore, some stakeholders may question whether the mandated remediation adequately addresses the individual needs of students or if it solely focuses on standardized test scores as measures of educational success.